I recently read two novels set in the week of Christmas. Both were good reminders to appreciate the family that you have because whatever your dysfunctional situation, it could probably be much worse.
Christmas Holiday by W. Somerset Maugham (1939): Twenty-three-year-old Charley Mason heads to Paris on Christmas Eve to see his old friend Simon and live it up in the big city. First thing, Simon takes him to a brothel, where Charley dances with topless Russian prostitute “Princess Olga.” Before things go any further, he ducks out to attend a Mass he happened to get tickets for, and she begs to accompany him. When Lydia (for that is her real name) starts weeping during the service, he takes her back to his hotel and listens with rapt horror as she tells him the sordid story of how her husband, a petty criminal named Robert Berger, murdered a man for fun and ended up in prison overseas. From here on, Charley’s primary feeling for Lydia is pity and any desire he had is neutralized. Simon, too, is fascinated with the Berger case for what it reveals about essential human egoism. The chaste relationship with Lydia and the intensity of the interactions with Simon made me wonder if there was covert homoeroticism here. It was interesting, shortly after my Paris trip, to read something about how sleazy it is rather than how magical. (Secondhand purchase) 
Flight by Lynn Steger Strong (2022): I couldn’t resist the setup: three grown-up siblings and their families meet at the one brother’s house in upstate New York to celebrate their first Christmas since their mother died. The novel takes place over just four days, the 22nd through Christmas Day, but Strong pumps in a lot of backstory about the sibling dynamic and the three marriages. The late Helen has already ascended into legend, and her coastal home in Florida is a bargaining chip. Tess, Martin’s lawyer wife, approaches the problem practically: sell it and split the profits three ways. Henry, an environmentalist artist, wants to sell the land to the state to be part of a nature preserve. Kate, the sentimental one, wants to live in the house herself but isn’t sure she and Josh can afford to buy her brothers out. At first I thought this was going to be a slightly irksome story of privileged white people and their ‘problems’, but there is a biracial character and an ex-heroin addict and her daughter also become key characters. As the family build igloos, bake pies and plan the perfect photo shoot, offences are simmering under the surface (“Mostly they resent each other from a comfortable enough distance that they might call it love”). These all fade, though, when a child goes missing. I was reminded subtly of Ann Patchett’s work, but more, with the environmental and parenting themes, of Ramona Ausubel and Megan Mayhew Bergman. I’d read more by Strong. (Public library) 
And now for the promised Christmas book haul.
Here’s what I bought with store credit at 2nd & Charles while in the States for my sister’s graduation with her bachelor’s in nursing.
We got to do some fun family Christmassy things while I was there for 10 days, then I flew back to the UK into Christmas Eve and got to do actual Christmas with my in-laws. It’s been a whirlwind of a month!
I had this book post waiting for me when I got back.
And received these for Christmas!
Bookish Beck = Rebecca Foster. American transplant to England. Freelance proofreader and book reviewer.
Bookish Beck 
Good reviews–yes, the Maughm does sound sleazy! On the second book, I’ve never, ever met a “Tess” in real life! It’s the second most popular novel name (according to me, lol) after Claire/Clare! lol
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Huh, I guess I haven’t met a Tess either! But there are three Claires within six houses on my street.
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I’ve met exactly one Tess IRL, but yes, loads in novels!
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Are you in the UK? Or Northeast USA–it does seem wildly more popular in the UK. I do know two Clares here–both much younger than me. But never a Tess!
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Laura and I are based in the UK (but I’m from Maryland). I’ve read books by a couple of authors named Tessa, but I can’t think of a Tess or Tessa in my life.
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Well done your sister! Pleased to hear you enjoyed Flight. I’m keen to read more from her, too.
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Interested to hear what you think of Commencement which is on my TBR.
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I was pleased to find those couple of Sullivan novels on the clearance shelves. I can’t resist novels about groups of friends or set on campuses.
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I really enjoyed Maine back when I read it. Looks like you had a nice time with your family. I want to read Wellness, or at least give it a try. Fourteen Days intrigues me. There are some good authors included there.
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I think Wellness has been out for a few months in the US, but we’ve had to wait for it over here! I first heard about Fourteen Days last year even, but didn’t know any details other than that Margaret Atwood was involved (which was enough to pique my interest).
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I’m very keen to read Flight, but it sounds like I should have picked it up last week! Hope you had a lovely Christmas
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I like reading a book when/where it’s set … but it’s not essential!
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I’d read another by Strong too (although I really expected to LOVE this one and ended up liking it well enough…could have been a matter of poor focus too, though).
Glad your travels went well and that you have enjoyed your holidays. And what lovely book post! (FOURTEEN DAYS!!!)
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I expected a little more from Flight, but I liked it well enough to try her work again.
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I eagerly requested and won Fourteen Days on NetGalley but it has some iffy reviews! Oh well, it’s going to be the big talked-about book and I’ll have read it!
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I think I was confused about what it was, expecting a short story collection. Which in a sense I guess it will be, but they’re trying to make all the contributions read as one coherent novel. Maybe a bit like David Lodge’s The British Museum Is Falling Down?
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Yes, or maybe Jane Smiley’s attempt at a Decameron book, which I’m also taking this to be, given the Covid background, although I found that unsuccessful! We’ll see in the Fullness of Time!
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I loved The Decameron Project, a collection of Covid-themed (or -inspired) short stories published in the NYT.
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[…] Flight by Lynne Seger Strong […]
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